§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department intends to ensure that the policies of Government are rural-proofed. [46729]
§ Alun MichaelThe Rural White Paper "Our countryside: the future", published in November 2000 (Cm 4909), in Chapter 13, set out the proposed measures which the Government have now put in place, to ensure that all its domestic policies in England are rural-proofed. In summary these are
a requirement on Departments to rural-proof all new policies—that is, to ensure that they have taken proper account of the impact on people living in rural areas—and to report annually on how they have done this;development by the Countryside Agency of a rural-proofing checklist, sent to all Departments in April 2001, to help them take account of the rural dimension in developing policy;publication of an annual report by the Countryside Agency on how effectively rural-proofing has been implemented across Government; the first of the Agency's reports will be published shortly.The establishment of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), with responsibility for all aspects of rural policy, has given fresh impetus and focus to rural-proofing, reinforced by the establishment of a Cabinet sub-committee on rural renewal, and the representation of DEFRA in each of the Government offices for the regions (except London). Both I and Ewen Cameron—the Chairman of the Countryside Agency, whom the Prime Minister also appointed as Rural Advocate—have met ministerial colleagues in all the Departments concerned over the past few months to discuss how rural-proofing is being implemented and to offer our assistance in making it fully effective across Government.
§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets are set by her Department for the achievements of rural policy. [46710]
§ Alun MichaelThe Department accepted responsibility for the Interim Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets previously assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Of the PSA targets, four cover the environment, rural development,294W countryside, wildlife and sustainable development responsibilities. These PSA targets are set out on the Department's website at http://defraweb/corporate/busplan/01psa.htm
Future PSA rural targets arising as a result of SR2002 will be published on the DEFRA website in due course.
More specific rural policy targets and commitments are set out in the Government's Rural White Paper published in November 2000, setting out the Government's vision for a living, working, protected and vibrant countryside in which everyone can enjoy a high quality of life.
§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which proposals in the rural White Paper have been implemented. [46993]
§ Alun MichaelI refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) on 12 December 2001,Official Report,column 920W. This announced publication of "England's Rural Future" which included a progress report on implementing the rural White Paper. This demonstrated that considerable progress had been made during the first year despite the massive diversion of effort and resources required to deal with foot and mouth disease. The same document also set out the Government's efforts to help rural recovery and our response to the reports of the rural task force and Lord Haskins. However the rural White Paper set out a long-term approach to meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities in rural areas and we continue to work towards the achievement of all the White Paper's long term goals.
The rural White Paper Implementation Plan which is on the Department's website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/index.htm shows how all the commitments made in the White Paper are being taken forward. An updated version will be available shortly.